Greece's economic recovery is failing to translate into better living conditions for many households, with poverty risks rising, housing costs consuming a larger share of incomes and more people struggling to afford basic necessities, according to revised government statistics.
New figures from the Hellenic Statistical Authority, known as ELSTAT, show that 27.5% of Greece's population was at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2025, up from 26.1% in 2023.
The deterioration highlights a growing divide between the country's improving economic performance and the financial pressures facing ordinary Greeks, more than a decade after the sovereign-debt crisis that devastated household incomes.
ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ ΕΠΙΣΗΣ
Children and women remain particularly vulnerable. Nearly 30% of children were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2025, compared with 29.1% of women. Housing affordability is another growing concern. The average share of monthly household spending devoted to housing increased to 14.7% in 2025 from 14.1% two years earlier, reflecting mounting pressure on family budgets.
Meanwhile, the proportion of Greeks experiencing material and social deprivation rose to 14.9% in 2025, compared with 13.5% in 2023. The measure captures people unable to afford certain essential goods, services or social activities considered necessary for an acceptable standard of living. The figures suggest that economic growth and improving employment conditions haven't been sufficient to protect vulnerable households from rising living costs.
Older Greeks are facing particularly sharp pressures. The share of people aged 65 and above at risk of poverty or social exclusion climbed to 27.7% in 2025 from 23.9% in 2023, an increase of 3.8 percentage points. The deterioration comes as Greece's population continues to age. The country's aging index, which measures the number of people aged 65 and older relative to children under 15, rose to 182 in 2024 from 175.7 in 2023. That demographic shift is expected to increase pressure on pensions, healthcare and social services.
Health indicators also weakened slightly, with 5.4% of Greeks describing their health as poor in 2025, compared with 5.1% in 2023.
